- Geekmaster
- 2020-04-18 13:03:04
- 11 minute(s)
Limiting beliefs. We all have them, and unfortunately – either consciously or subconsciously – they hinder our ability to succeed at manifesting what we really want in life whether personally or professionally.
A limiting belief is what keeps us from reaching our goals.
Every successful entrepreneur had to conquer many limiting beliefs before they could grow their business. These beliefs may be buried deep in your mind, or maybe you’ve verbalized them, but these limiting beliefs will keep your business from realizing it’s full potential.
“I’m not interested in your limiting beliefs; I’m interested in what makes you limitless.” ― Brendon Burchard Share on X
The key to success in business is constant growth. Your mindset determines what actions you take to grow your business , which determines the numbers on your bottom line.
To have the right mindset, you must conquer your limiting beliefs.
WarningLimiting beliefs are those things you believe whether you are conscious of them or not, beliefs that tend to mask your talent and hinder your success. They create an atmosphere where you don’t try things you need to try . They stem from fears of all sorts.
It’s easy to blame situations or other people when we don’t reach our targets.
Have you ever wondered though, if it could be YOU holding yourself back from achieving success or, if you possibly limit your results because of what you believe ?
ImportantA belief is simply a feeling of certainty about what something means. This means we can either create more potential, or more limitation depending on what the belief actually is.
If your beliefs have this powerful influence on your results, can you imagine how much more personal potential you could create and what you could accomplish, if every belief you had really did completely sustain, support and nurture you ?
Do you ever wonder why some people have seemingly endless confidence and succeed at everything they set their minds?
Let me let you in on a secret: It’s because they’ve overcome their limiting beliefs. The good news is, you can too.
Here you will find five of the most common limiting beliefs that hinder your success and that you need to be aware of, as well as some practical tips to assist you to move through them. Even if you implement one simple tip, it can have a profoundly positive effect on your results.
I don’t have time
Holding on to this limiting belief can keep you stuck for years . This may be a statement; the truth is though, when you repeatedly say the same thing, you start to believe it and this means you will never find the time to do what you want.
The truth is, we all have the same amount of hours in the day – the difference is knowing how to manage your time wisely.
Warning Time is a social construct. This means time doesn’t really exist , it’s just an idea or concept we believe as a society and we all live by its rules. This might explain why we all have 24 hours in a day, yet some of us achieve so much more than others.
Ordinary people think merely of spending time. Great people think of using it.
When you start to see time as it really is which is just a social construct, you empower yourself to create a belief that works for you instead of against you.
"Time is what we want most, but what we use worst." — William Penn Share on X
ImportantWhenever you find yourself saying ‘I don’t have time’, make sure you’re not actually saying ‘I don’t want to’, as you may be using this excuse not to take action solely out of fear .
Use a spreadsheet to track and measure the way you use your time and being truthful with yourself about what you find.
HacksAs you look closely at how you use time, you will notice patterns of behavior that can cause you to get in your own way. Then you would improve your time efficiency as explained in my post Five ways to use time efficiently.
Making a few simple tweaks in your own behavior, you will notice that you always have enough time, it’s just your choice as to how you use it , and you can begin to nurture that new belief.
Identify Your Most Important Task (MIT)
You have to be crystal clear on your own values and life goals; If health is truly a high priority, you make sure you’ve scheduled time for it during the day. If family is truly a priority, you schedule and protect time for date nights, birthdays and other events. You have to know how to break down an annual goal into bite-size tasks that could be actioned on a daily basis. You have to know specifically the single daily task that is most likely to advance you to your primary goal. Ask yourself, “What’s the one thing I can do today that will get me closer to my goal?”
I’m not good enough
Many people allow this limiting belief to control their lives . It stops them from putting themselves out there. It holds them back from giving anything new a go, and so they settle for where they feel safe.
This leads to them not fulfilling the goals and dreams they have, and waking up one day, realising they’ve not lived their lives.
The only person who can hold you back from doing anything is yourself . Sure, there may be sacrifices that need to be made or planning involved to help the transition; but I can tell you that it is liberating once you just take that first step.
“Do not be a victim of your thoughts.” ― Darlene Lancer Share on X
Even though at some point in our lives we all may feel we’re not as good as the next person, what’s important is to acknowledge that these are just false limiting beliefs .
ImportantRemember that if things or situations don’t go as planned, it’s not because you’re not good enough, it’s simply because there’s something different or even better ahead for you.
We are always good enough and that’s the reason why we are here.
People who’ve run the most successful business empires never hesitate to move, shift or market because of a personal insecurity. In fact, committing those comfort-zone crimes can kill your business , as well as your personal reputation.
ImportantIf you want to grow the business of your dreams, then you have to step outside of your comfort zone and accept that you’re capable of far more than you ever thought. Improving your self-confidence is the secret ingredient you may need.
I don’t have enough credentials
The only credential today’s entrepreneur needs is the knowledge that comes through experience. You can learn things in books and classrooms, but experiencing them in the real world is how you grow as an entrepreneur. Ignore the haters who try to point out your lack of credentials and focus on those you’re helping.
I may fail
Believing that you have failed is so disempowering, because it is very closely linked to the belief that you are a failure , and it means you will avoid doing things that may lead you to feel that way about yourself in the future.
Failure is overdramatized in today’s world.
Unfortunately, due to beliefs many people have downloaded in their early childhood, they do not know their own worth. They do not know what they are capable of, and they do not see their potential at all.
“There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.” — Oprah Winfrey Share on X
You probably will have your share of failure. But that can work if you only risk what you can afford to lose.
ImportantPeople fail all the time; there’s no need to make a big deal out of it. What’s more important is the actions you take when things don’t go your way . How can you learn from your failures? How can you turn your failures into success?
Just because something hasn’t worked out the way you wanted it to, does not mean you have failed.
HacksNeuro Linguistic Programming is a modality that develops a person to achieve excellence. One of the presuppositions of NLP states that there is “no failure, only feedback”. The feedback being the information you receive, which can help you change things next time around. This means there is learning and growth in the experience . Instead of telling yourself you have failed, see the experience as a lesson.
Ask yourself what you can learn from your failures and how you can use that feedback to assist you in the future.
Don’t make it personal
Separate the failure from your identity. Just because you haven’t found a successful way of doing something (yet) doesn’t mean you are a failure. Personalizing failure can wreak havoc on our self-esteem and confidence. There was a man who failed in business at 24; lost a congressional race at 34; lost a senatorial race at age 45; failed to become Vice President at age 47; and was elected as the President of the United States at the age of 52. This man was Abraham Lincoln!
I fake it
We can often hold ourselves back from doing things because we are afraid other people will judge us and see us as lacking in some way . Remember, we often focus on our fear; and the more we focus on this, we will see more examples of people judging us.
With terms getting around such as “Fake it till you make it”, and with social media these days, where people only show you what they want you to see, it’s no wonder people worry about “being found out!”
Imposter syndrome as it’s also known as stops people from really reaching for the stars because they are deathly afraid that someone will “catch on” that they aren’t really that good anyway.
"Care about what other people think, and you will always be their prisoner." — Lao Tzu Share on X
WarningYou have no control over what others think or feel and most of the time, they don’t think anything about you at all . They are more concerned with what they think or feel about themselves, just like you are.
If you feel judged by other people, it’s more often than not just a reflection you see of your own thoughts and judgments about yourself.
ImportantRemind yourself that no matter what outcome you get, just the fact that you are showing up and giving things a go means you are always more than good enough, and that deserves acknowledgment.
You’re doing it for you, and that’s just how it should be.
Know Your Worth, and Then Ask for It
Casey Brown is a pricing consultant and President of Boost, an organization that helps companies improve profitability through better pricing. In her Ted Talk, “Know Your Worth, And Then Ask For It,” which has been viewed more than one and a half million times, Brown offers women advice on how to increase their personal value. Her message is simple— “no one will ever pay you what you’re worth; they will only ever pay you what they think you’re worth, and you control their thinking.”
I don’t have the resources
We often limit ourselves to reach our goals by using available resources as an excuse . You may feel that you don’t have the money, qualifications, or skills necessary for the job and these are “obstacles” you can’t overcome.
But who says “resources” can’t be gained? In other words, who says skills, education, or money can’t be acquired ? With internal resources such as willpower, focus, energy, and passion; external resources are just a step away.
“Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.” ― Les Brown Share on X
WarningStarting and growing a business usually requires some sort of financial investment. This holds too many entrepreneurs back from starting or growing their business. If your funds aren’t where you want them to be, don’t let that become a self-limiting belief.
Not enough money is a challenge to think outside of the box. You are an entrepreneur because you don’t think 9 to 5. You see problems as opportunities to grow.
Final Thoughts
Once you identify your limiting beliefs, you have the power to overcome them and create new beliefs that support you in achieving your goals .
Identifying and acknowledging your limiting beliefs is the first step in taking back your own power . Blame can keep you stuck for years and over time erodes your self-esteem and can even cause you to go backwards.
True sustainable success is achieved from the inside out, by making the choice to work on your own belief system.
“If we can see past preconceived limitations, then the possibilities are endless.” ― Amy Purdy Share on X
ImportantIt’s vital you weed out any beliefs that are limiting you in any way. This is the way to true empowerment and success, where you will open up your full potential and over time you will notice your life will become limitless.
Realize that we live in a time when anything is possible.
You have everything you need to take your business and your life to levels you never thought were possible. It starts with your mindset.
If you want to build the business of your dreams, then you need to change the way you think — and these five mindset shifts are a great place to start.
Don’t limit yourself. Move forward.
We’d love to hear your success stories of turning around any limiting beliefs so they empower you and fuel positive actions, so please feel free to share your opinion in the comments section below.
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